Guest Services Manager

Aparium Hotel Group

United States, Iowa, Des Moines

Jul 01, 2025

Position:
Guest Services Manager

Location:

Des Moines, IA

Job Id:
333

# of Openings:
1

GUEST SERVICES MANAGER

Reports to General Manager or Assistant General Manager: position is exempt

WHO WE ARE

Hotels done differently. It's not just a slogan or catchphrase, it is who we are in everything we do. We believe in the power of People, Place and Character; ensuring our properties are a place where individuals are valued and celebrated as a tribute to the neighborhoods and the people of the communities in which we operate; elevating our associates' pride in who they are, where they live and who we serve.

Working with Marriott's Autograph Collection, Aparium is helping bring an authentic experience to the heart of Des Moines. Located in the Historic Hippee building, Surety celebrates the history of Des Moines while building the future of the City of Certainties. In banking, a surety bond is a guarantee- a promise that someone has your back so that you can make good on a loan. At Surety Hotel, Autograph Collection we make a promise as well; unmatched service, incredible design, a superior level of hospitality and a one-of-a-kind Iowa experience for all.

The hotel is managed by Aparium Hotel Group. Founded in 2011, Aparium is driven by the belief that all hospitality experiences should be fueled by the poetics of their surroundings and was born with an intense focus on unearthing the amazing moments unique to every city. Since its founding, Aparium has grown into a new kind of hotel brand, one that ventures off the beaten path, both geographically and philosophically. Recognized by Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards as a leading hotel brand, Aparium is known for its singular ability to combine the business acumen of large hospitality companies with the charm of boutique hotels, bringing the disparate forces together in bustling, smaller markets.

WHO YOU ARE

You are someone who is obsessed with hospitality: it is quite natural for you to walk into a hotel and want to fluff every pillow you see, judge the level of cleanliness, or ask the front desk what type of system they are using. You get excited about how amenities are packaged, a guest service story created by an employee's intuition, and can strip a bed faster than the best housekeeper. You enjoy casual sophistication and realize the concept of luxury has evolved to be approachable and loathe heavily scripted interactions and cookie-cutter experiences.

Your career experience is eclectic and dynamic, and you take great pride in having worked your way through a variety of rooms division roles. You are humble and understand the need to work side by side with others and take feedback seriously to improve upon processes. You love the collaborative environment you find in hotels and have a special place in your heart for the people and teams you have worked with and developed throughout your career.

THE ROLE

The Guest Services Manager sets the tone for the front-of-house guest experience of the hotel. This integral role leads the Guest Services department, ensuring that the service delivered to our guests is unique and memorable, meeting our high expectations. Though this is a management role, it is certainly not one in which you spend the entire day in the office doing paperwork. Instead, your day is spent where you are at your best: in the lobby with your team, delivering innovative guest experiences.

The Guest Services Manager reports to the Director of Hotel Operations, working together on how to deliver remarkable guest experiences. It is critical the person in this position possesses a diverse knowledge of Rooms Division operations and is willing to dive into the day-to-day operation, while balancing and directing the long-term goals of the hotel. You lead the team through your collaborative approach-you understand that the ability to act as a soldier is as critical as being a general.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Uphold and role model the company's principles of People, Place, and Character, while encouraging your direct reports to embody our values that drive collaboration, intuitive service, and translocal hospitality
Demonstrate passion and aptitude for all aspects of a guest's experience, coaching your team to handle all guest interactions with the highest level of hospitality and professionalism. Encourage your team to find creative solutions in order accommodate guest requests whenever possible
Serve as the tour guide for all hotel experiences a guest may encounter, following your intuition to uncover each guest's likes or dislikes, enabling you to add a personalized touch that creates a special memory
Collaborate with and coach your team to complete the necessary activities for the day to ensure standards are achieved, ensuring an environment where associates feel supported and valued to exceed guests' needs
Be knowledgeable in all matters related to the safety, security, satisfaction, and well-being of hotel guests and associates; responds swiftly and effectively in any hotel emergency or safety situations, and verifies all associates are trained and following proper emergency procedures
Act as a key partner with the Director of Hotel Operations and the operations leadership team, demonstrating a united front committed to providing the best possible guest experience
Actively participate in recruitment, training, scheduling, supervising, coaching, and motivation of all Guest Services associates in order to create an environment that nurtures ideas and develops future talent for succession planning in the department
Foster open lines of communication within the department by helping to facilitate daily line ups, weekly division leadership meetings, and monthly departmental all staff meetings to create a transparent dialogue amongst the team to voice ideas and concerns, while addressing the department's key priorities
Coach and mentor your team on development of their skill set, fostering an environment of continuous growth; effectively use corrective action to address root causes of issues, course-correcting any missed opportunities
Partner with Housekeeping and Engineering department heads to ensure hotel facilities and rooms are maintained in optimal condition, being emphatic about the smallest detail which may go unseen by the untrained eye
Partner with Director of Revenue to monitor all reservation channels, verifying that detailed reservation information is collected and handled properly according to standards and protocol
Champion departmental and hotel wide initiatives and best practices (e.g., Lobby Ambassador, Guest Profile, and Manager on Duty programs) by ensuring you take the time to communicate, train, and coach associates on the purpose of each initiative
Maintain regular communication with the Director of Hotel Operations to provide updates, discuss plans, communicate needs, and align on priorities, understanding that flexibility with your responsibilities is paramount to support a successful operation
The list of responsibilities above is just the beginning of the adventure. Be prepared for more exciting challenges! You might be called on to tackle extra duties or tasks not listed here, all to meet the ever-changing needs of the organization.
Aparium Hotel Group does not discriminate based on disability, veteran status or on any other basis protected under federal, state or local laws. The hotel and company are a smoke-free, drug-free facility, and equal opportunity employers,

REQUIREMENTS

Minimum of three (3) years experience as a manager within upscale, lifestyle, or luxury hospitality company
Bachelor's degree in hospitality, or six (6) years of related experience
Pre-opening experience as an operating department head preferred
Professional proficiency of the English language in reading, writing and verbal communication
Adaptable interpersonal communication skills to address all employee levels of the hotel
Intermediate skills in Microsoft Excel and Word to create spreadsheets or proposals
May be required to work varying schedules that includes, days, nights, weekends, and holidays

HOW YOU LEAD

Offer direct support for your team through one-on-one coaching, counseling, gentle correction, and constructive feedback
Collaborate effectively with all departments in the hotel including Sales, Banquets & Catering, Engineering, Food & Beverage, and Culinary to provide an exemplary guest experience; be comfortable in debating ideas before implementing a decision that will impact operations property-wide, as we do not work in silos
Be respectful in your daily interactions with your managers, direct reports, and peers, exemplifying the utmost level of professionalism and being a pillar within your community
Highly analytical in thought and recommendations, with the ability to express a point of view in respectful manner
Engages others in general conversation tactics to build rapport quickly, with the ability to lead and adapt communication and presentation tactics to engage a wide range of audiences and stakeholders
Approaches fact finding and discovery missions as a collaborative effort; values input and experiences of others that creates additional insight to uncover deeper issues that need to be addressed
Can influence others to effectively drive results and take direction in order to execute on strategy through tactical methods; is comfortable prioritizing their work and that of others
Prioritizes and organizes their own work when necessary by working flexible or extended hours to accommodate increased workload; can flex to the needs of an opening hotel and short-notice situations

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Aparium Hospitality Services celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive environment, and sense of belonging for all employees. We do not discriminate and believe every individual should be proud of who they are, where they come from and take pride in who we serve. Aparium is an E-Verify employer.

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